Zootopia Plot Bunny Buffet
by PullTogether
Summary: Each chapter in this story will be a self contained one shot that most likely fits in with my other longer stories somehow. Expect plenty of WildeHopps romance intermixed with humor/family/drama as I flesh out the empty spots in my longer stories, as well as visit new unexplored territory.
1. Chapter 1

Aside from _Wilde Family Matters_ and _A Beginning of Endings_ , each of the chapters are self contained one-shot stories. If you've read my first two full stories ( _Never Time to Say Goodbye_ and _Burdens of the Son)_ or don't care about possible spoilers, feel free to skip to the first chapter and start reading. But honestly, you should read _Burdens of the Son_ first to get the most out of _Wilde Family Matters_ and _A Beginning of Endings_.

 **Wilde Family Matters** (Family/Hurt/Comfort)

 **The Donut Thief** (Mystery/Humor)

 **Pronk Must Die** (Dark Humor/Drama)

 **Spiked!** (Holiday Humor)

 **Untouchable** (Dark, Tragedy, Fantasy, /r/zootopia #1 anthology entry)

 **The Sweater** (Humor, Romance)

 **A Beginning of Endings** (Family, Sci-fi, /r/zootopia #2 anthology entry)


	2. Wilde Family Matters

Synopsis: Nick receives a letter from his estranged father. While this could be read as a standalone, be warned that this story contains spoilers for and original characters from my earlier stories, _Never Time to Say Goodbye_ and the sequel _Burdens of the Son_ , so if you haven't already read them, you may wish to do so first. This story is set during the timeskip near the end of the last chapter in _Burdens of the Son._

"How can you not like the taste of vanilla?" Judy shook her head as she pulled the cruiser into the road that flanked Zootopia's main beach. "I thought everyone liked vanilla."

Nick sighed. "I just don't care for it."

"Oh come on… you've tasted it before, right?" Judy looked over at Nick, but he stared out the open window and said nothing.

After a few awkward moments, Judy asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." He loudly sniffed out the window once, then jerked back and rolled it up. Nick continued to stare at the faraway beach when he spoke again. "Quit looking at me like that."

"You can't even see what I'm doing!"

"I don't need to, I just know you're looking at me with that 'tell me more' stare of yours."

Judy looked away, but not before she noticed he was quietly wringing his paws as he continued to look out the window. Hoping to change the subject, she asked, "When was the last time you went to the beach?"

Judy flinched after Nick let out a low groan. His ears flattened against his head and he raised his paws to massage his temples.

She stared straight ahead and gripped the steering wheel. "Whoa, sorry I asked."

* * *

Nick never thought he could fall in love with anyone else after he met Judy, but he most definitely had. Aside from the red highlights in her fur that she got from her biological father, she looked almost identical to her mom. Especially her striking amethyst eyes, the same eyes that were always the first thing Nick saw when he stepped through the front door of Rita's house every day after work. Without fail, the second rabbit he'd fallen in love with would race to greet him, and Nick would spread his arms wide to catch Holly as she leapt at him.

Nick took a small step back from the impact. "Well hello, squirt."

Holly said stubbornly, "I'm not a squirt, I'm a little carrot!"

Nick laughed. "That's right, you're _my_ little carrot. And I'm hungry!" He made eating noises and tickled her neck with his snout.

Holly squealed and squirmed out of his paws. "Oh Daddy, I drawed a picture for you today, lemme go get it!" She turned and bounded out of the room.

Rita finished rinsing a plate in the kitchen sink before the elephant walked over to sit on the ground next to Nick and pull him in for a hug with her trunk. "I'm going to miss her so much when she starts kindergarten next year."

Nick hugged her back with one arm. "Oh don't worry, we'll definitely still need someone to watch her on date nights, and we'll make sure to get together for dinner more often."

Holly raced back into the room carrying a crayon drawing of her playing with Rita, Nick, and Judy at the park. She handed it to Nick and he smiled as he admired it. "It's my most favorite drawing in the whole world."

Holly pouted. "You always say that."

Nick laughed. "It's true though. Every time you draw a new picture for me, that's how I feel."

That evening Nick and Judy were getting dinner ready when he got a text message. "Huh, Clawhauser says a fox named Vickie Lomrie has been trying to reach me, and he says it's urgent. That name ring a bell?"

"Nope." Judy shook her head and smiled after she noticed Holly sneaking up on Nick. The little bunny pounced and latched onto his leg.

Nick laughed and wrapped his tail around Holly, who started to giggle from somewhere inside the fox's tail fur. "Once I get this odd little bump off my leg, I'll call her and see what she wants."

Several minutes later Nick went to the back bedroom to make the call. He heard the phone ring twice before a vixen answered. "Hello?"

"This is Officer Nicholas Wilde. I'm returning your call…"

"Thank you for calling, Officer Wilde." She spoke with a slight accent that Nick didn't recognize.

"Please, Ms. Lomrie, call me Nick."

"And you should call me Vickie. I have a… problem that I need your help with. But let me explain first. I'm selling a business property, and I have to empty a safe left by my… partner, who disappeared several years ago. Because I have no idea what it contains, and he was apparently very much involved in a number of shady dealings, I'm worried it may contain illicit items."

"Ma'am, you should probably contact a lawyer-"

"Please, let me finish. You know the mammal I'm talking about. He told me his name was Jack Rosso, but I learned recently his real name is John Wilde." Nick was silent for several moments, and she continued. "We were… lovers. And we have a child together."

Nick inhaled sharply, then slowly exhaled. "Ma'am, I… I'm not sure-"

"Please. I'm honestly afraid of what could be in there, and I don't know where else to turn. And there might be something in there that would help you find him. I don't care where he is, but maybe you are looking for him, yes?"

The next day, Nick knocked on the door of a small shabby shop on the edge of the Canal District. A chipped wooden sign over the door read _Jack's World Bazaar_. An older arctic fox answered and extended her paw. "Thank you for coming, Nicholas."

He shook her paw. "Nick is fine."

She laughed. "But Nicholas rolls off my tongue so nicely, it's a shame to waste such a lovely name. Come in, the locksmith has already started and should have the safe open soon."

Nick followed her through the small empty shop to an office at the back where a beaver was working on a safe embedded in one of the brick walls. "What did you and my dad sell here?"

"Ja… er, John handled the business, technically I just own the building itself. He told everyone he sold curios from around the world, but mostly it was just a junk shop. And now I'm starting to think it may have been a front for… less legal activities." Nick nodded and they watched the beaver work for a few moments before Vickie said, "I read your book and realized who John was." She looked at him and gave him a brief smile. "He disappeared after they found Eddie."

Nick's face was expressionless as he nodded again. "You mentioned that you two had a child together?"

"Yes, his name is James, and he's twelve years old." Nick raised an eyebrow, and she laughed. "I had him a bit late in life, if that's what you're wondering. You'll have to meet your half brother sometime. We… I call him JJ."

Moments later the beaver finished unlocking the safe. As he walked towards the exit, Vickie said, "Thanks for your help." The beaver nodded and handed business cards to them both. "If you ever need a locksmith in the future, let me know."

Nick smiled and put the card in his pocket. "Thanks."

After the beaver left, the two foxes looked at each other before Vickie stepped forward and pulled the door of the safe all the way open. Inside was a bundle of envelopes and a disposable film camera.

Nick said, "Almost as anticlimactic as that show where they opened that hidden vault of the mobster, Al Capybara, on live TV." They both laughed. Vickie reached in and pulled out the contents of the safe and handed them to Nick.

He looked puzzled, then started to offer them back to her when the vixen shook her head. "I want you to take them. I don't even care what's inside, I just want to… forget I even knew John." Nick started to speak, but she shook her head again. "I insist. If you find anything that you think I should know, you have my number." She smiled at Nick. "It was good to finally meet you, Nicholas."

On the way back to his car, Nick seriously considered tossing the items from the safe into a trashcan. Instead, he pulled off the rubber band that held the bundle of letters together and gasped when he saw his name on the front of one of the envelopes.

He sat on a bench and sorted through the letters, eight in all. Some of them had the names of his half brothers on them, while others had names he didn't recognize.

He stared at the envelope with his name on the front while he pulled out his phone and called Finnick. "Who do we know who is discreet and can develop film?"

Finnick sounded like he'd been sleeping. "What kinda film… you mean like from an old camera?"

"Yeah, picture film. And before you ask, no, it's not naughty pictures. It's from a camera that belonged to my dad, and I have no idea what's on it."

Two days later, Nick sat on the bed next to Judy and opened the envelope of photos that Finnick had given him that morning. He flinched when he looked at the first picture.

"What's wrong?"

Nick closed the envelope and dropped it on the bed. "Can we talk?"

Judy nodded.

"Actually, before we do I need to get something from the shed first. I'll be right back." He picked up the envelope and handed it to Judy. "I don't think I can look through these right now, but you should. They were on the camera that was inside the safe in… his shop." He paused and pulled a folded up letter out of his pocket. "And you may as well read the letter for me that was in there too."

After Nick walked out of the room, Judy unfolded the letter and read it:

 _Nick,_

 _I'm sorry for abandoning you and your mother. I know I can't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you'll at least give me a chance to explain why. You can get a message to me through the Oceanside Bar and Grill in Anteater Bay. I travel most of the time, but I'll at least try to be there every Father's Day, drinking my regrets away._

 _Dad_

Judy pulled the pictures from the envelope. The first one was of a smiling young fox around Holly's age, holding an ice cream cone. He was standing on a boardwalk in front of a shop. Judy looked through the other pictures, all beach scenes of the same young fox, along with a vixen: them playing together on the shore, the two picking up shells, her relaxing on a beach chair. The last picture was an older male fox splashing in the water with the younger fox. Judy was fairly certain she recognized both of the older foxes, though she'd only ever seen them in pictures.

Nick came back into the room, carrying a small cardboard box. "Are they all pictures of foxes at the beach?"

Judy nodded. "Is the young fox you? And the other two are your parents?"

Nick sat next to Judy on the bed and put the box down. "Yeah. The pictures were taken at some beach we went to a few days before my dad… left." He took a deep breath and then continued. "Remember when I got all weird the other day in the car after you mentioned vanilla?" He nodded at the photos in her paws. "Take a look at the first picture again."

Judy nodded as she examined it closely. "Wait, in this picture you're eating a vanilla… oh. Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry."

Nick smiled wanly. "There's no way you could have known. The smell of the beach was already bothering me… and then you started in about vanilla. Anyway, I used to eat vanilla ice cream all the time back when I was just a kit, but since then … not so much." He sighed. "And I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry I got so bent out of shape in the car, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

She hugged him and spoke softly to take the sting from her words. "You dumb fox… just let me know when I'm treading on sensitive ground next time, ok?"

Nick nodded and pointed at his nose. "With a sniffer like mine, it's hard not to be overwhelmed by memories sometimes when I smell certain things. But… that's no excuse for me to be a jerk."

Judy looked at the worn cardboard box Nick had put on the ground. On the side was his name, written in handwriting that was too nice to be his. When she mentioned that, he laughed. "Yeah, Ma always had really nice handwriting." He fiddled with the lid for a moment, before he sighed and opened the box. He closed his eyes, and Judy noticed him inhale as he cautiously sniffed the inside of the box once. "I've avoided sorting through this, because it smells so much like my mom and I know there are a few things in here I really don't want to deal with…" He opened his eyes and trailed off after he picked up something wrapped in tissue paper. Nick handed it to Judy before he gave the lid a lingering sniff and put it back on the box.

He looked at his paws. "Go ahead and unwrap it."

Judy removed the tissue paper to reveal a mug. On one side it said, "Happy Father's Day" and on the other was an almost identical picture to the one in the envelope of him holding the ice cream cone at the beach.

"My mom had her camera that day too. I remember them both standing next to each other as they took pictures of me holding the ice cream cone." Nick's voice shook. "It was the last time we did anything together as a family. I meant to give the mug to my dad, but I never got the chance." Judy held him while he paused and wept quietly.

After a few moments, he took a breath and wiped his eyes. "Intellectually, I get it. My dad's an asshole who abandoned me and my mom. But all I can think of… is when I was five years old, and my mom was holding me as I cried on Father's Day because I couldn't figure out what I'd done to make him leave."

"Oh, Nick…"

Nick shuddered and laughed. "Now you know why I was so… weird the first few times we celebrated Father's Day after I adopted Holly."

Judy nodded and said, "It's Father's Day this coming Sunday… do you want to try to meet him?"

Nick shook his head. "I'm not sure I want to, but I probably need to."

Three days later, Nick walked across the beach of Anteater Bay after a four-hour train ride from Zootopia. He had been able to get a message to his dad through the bartender at the restaurant mentioned in the letter, where they would meet tomorrow at 10:30 in the morning. Judy had offered to come too, but until Nick knew more about his dad he felt safer meeting him alone.

He would have preferred spending the entire day tomorrow with Judy and Holly instead, but of course Judy had insisted he try to reconnect with his dad. He understood how important her close-knit family was to her, but Nick didn't think Judy would ever understand how broken his family had always been. Still, he was curious about the beach, since he was fairly certain it was where the pictures had been taken, and he hoped he could find out more about the other letters from his dad.

Nick absentmindedly kicked shells as he walked on the beach and thought about everything that had happened the last few days. He stopped and picked up one shiny cowry shell and examined it carefully before he put it in his pocket. He remembered how he and his mom had wandered the beach looking for shells and he smiled. Nick continued to gather a shell now and then until he arrived at the boardwalk where he caught sight of the ice cream shop. Even after all these years it didn't look much different than it did in the pictures.

He stared at it for a few moments, before he turned to walk to the hotel where his family had stayed so many years ago.

That evening Nick gazed at the cowry shell in his paw as he sat on the bed in his hotel room. He put it next to several other shells on the nightstand before he picked up his cellphone to call Judy.

She sounded flustered when she answered. "Hey, Nick." He could hear Holly crying in the background.

"Hey, Judy. Is Little Carrots ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She's just cranky tonight."

"Let me talk to her."

There was a small whine in Holly's tired voice. "Daddy, I wish you were here to read to me, Mommy doesn't do the voices right."

Nick's gut twisted in a knot, but he kept his voice cheerful. "Be a big girl, ok? I'll bring you something special when I come back tomorrow, and I'll read two books at bedtime."

She sniffled and said quietly, "Ok."

"And be nice to Mama, she enjoys reading to you as much as I do, even though I'm the one who gets to read to you most nights. I love you, Little Carrots, and I'll see you soon."

"Love you too, Daddy."

Nick could hear the phone jostled and bumped about until Judy asked, "You ok?"

"I should be asking you that." Nick sighed. "I can't wait to be headed back to Zootopia on the 1 o'clock train tomorrow."

"You can stay longer if you want, Nick. It isn't-

"No, I told Holly I'd be there for her at bedtime tomorrow, and I damn sure won't be breaking that promise."

Judy was startled by the fervor of his words. She paused briefly before she said, "Ok Nick. If you need anything, please call. I love you."

"I love you too, Judy."

Nick, wearing jeans and a ZPD t-shirt, sauntered into the Oceanside Bar and Grill fifteen minutes early. It was a nondescript open-air bar, with a few tables scattered around under a tattered awning. Aside from Nick and the bartender, it was empty. Nick put the duffel bag he was carrying down at the bar before he pulled off his aviators and hung them on his shirt.

The wombat bartender nodded at Nick and waited silently for him to order. "It's kinda early for a beer, but honestly, I'm gonna need one. A bottle of whatever your regulars drink will be fine." The wombat nodded and wordlessly opened a brown bottle and placed it in front of Nick.

The fox tried chatting up the taciturn bartender for a few minutes before he gave up and carried his beer over to a table so he could look out across the sea. He pulled his phone out and saw the battery was low, and that he wasn't getting any reception anyway, so he sighed and turned it off.

Nick nursed his beer as he watched the surf. Half an hour later, the wombat came over to curtly tell him his dad had called to say he would be late. Nick grumbled and ordered fries and a sandwich, so he'd have something to do while he waited.

The clock behind the bar said that it was almost noon and his dad was still a no-show. Nick threw the last fry in the air and caught it in his mouth before he went back to staring at the ocean.

As the clock crept towards 12:30, Nick shook his head and quietly said to himself, "I can't believe it." He went to the bar to pay his bill and then he fished the cup out of his duffel bag, the one he'd planned to give his father so many years ago. He stared at the picture on the side of the cup before he put it on the bar with an audible clunk.

"If he ever shows up looking for me, his first drink is on the house." He pulled out a twenty and stuffed it into the cup as he scooted it across the counter. "You can keep the rest, but make sure you serve it to him in this."

Nick turned on his phone before he remembered he couldn't get a signal. "Mind if I borrow your phone to call a cab?" Nick made a quick call and started to walk away. He paused and sighed. Turning back to the bar, Nick fished a business card out of his pocket and held it out for the wombat. "And give him this too."

Nick put on his aviators and looked at his phone, only to freeze when he saw the time. His ears flattened against his head as he looked at the clock on the wall, and again at the time on his phone. The bar's clock was slow, and he had less than fifteen minutes to get to the train station.

Nick sprinted out to the platform in time to see the train he had hoped to catch disappear into the distance. He slumped down onto a bench before his phone beeped to indicate it finally had a signal again, and that he had messages waiting. Nick cursed quietly to himself. "Damn you, Dad, you never cease to disappoint, do you?" He looked at his phone and noticed there were several messages from Judy. He panicked and started to dial her number when his phone rang as she called him first.

He answered the phone. "Hello? Judy, what's wrong?"

Right as Judy replied, he looked across the tracks and was surprised to see her and Holly standing on the arrival platform. "Nick, please tell me you got my messages and didn't leave on the train. Where are you now?"

Relief flooded his body as he relaxed and chuckled. "I'm looking at the two most beautiful bunnies in the whole world."

"What?" Judy's ears drooped and Nick could see the confused look on her face, before she finally turned in his direction and laughed when she noticed him waving. "You dork." She continued talking to him on the phone while they moved to the connecting walkway so she and Holly could get to his side of the station. "We left this morning, but the train was delayed because of a large truck stalled on the tracks… I wanted to surprise you, and I figured you might want some company after you met with your dad."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, he didn't show up."

Judy frowned. "Nick, I… I'm so sorry."

They both hung up as they met at the walkway. Holly smiled and reached out when she saw Nick, and she hopped into his arms as he hugged Judy. Nick smiled at the little bunny, who put her head on his shoulder and smiled back at him with sleepy eyes. "Hey, Little Carrots. Looks like someone could use a nap."

Nick slung his bag over his shoulder and reached for Judy's suitcase and she made a rude noise. "Pfft, your paws are already full, Mr. Wilde."

Nick wrapped his arm around Judy and raised an eyebrow. "Why did you bring a suitcase anyway?"

Judy grinned. "You're not the only one who always likes to be prepared, Slick."

Nick looked at Holly, who was still quietly leaning her head on his shoulder. "Did you have fun on the train?"

Holly nodded. "Yeah! We saw lots of stuff and we waved at the place where Mama grew up and Gramma and Grampa live and we ate snacks in the… the uhh…"

Judy said helpfully, "The dining car?"

"Yeah, the dining car!"

When they walked to the station exit and got their first view of the beach, Holly's eyes flew open and she straightened up and exclaimed, "Whoa… that's the biggest sandbox I've ever seen." Nick and Judy laughed.

They played on the beach for awhile, before they went to eat at a quaint oceanfront restaurant. During dinner, Judy told Nick she'd already called into headquarters and told them that they couldn't make it in the next day, so they decided to spend the night at the same hotel where Nick had stayed and catch the train back to Zootopia the following day.

After Holly had fallen asleep while Nick was reading her a second bedtime story, Judy smiled as he winked at her and carefully stood up so he wouldn't wake the little bunny.

Judy looked at him wistfully. "I'm sorry you didn't find the answers you were looking for."

He went to fill a water glass at the sink and came back to watch Holly sleeping as she hugged her favorite stuffed fox toy. "It's ok. I actually found something even better waiting for me at the station after I missed my train." He moved to kiss Judy between the ears and put the water glass on the nightstand. "Thank you for coming, even when I didn't know how much I wanted you both here." Nick looked over at Holly and was silent for a moment, before he softly said, "You make beautiful children, Judy."

She reached up and held his paw. "And I'm glad for every single day I can share her with you, Nick. Happy Father's Day." Judy looked at him mischievously. "Now come to bed so I can cuddle with _my_ favorite fox toy."

The next day, Nick and Holly played in the sand while they waited for Judy to change into her swimsuit. Holly looked up from filling a plastic bucket when Nick whistled appreciatively as Judy walked out of the changing room. He stood up and brushed sand off of his swimming trunks and raised his aviators to wink at Judy. "Wow Carrots, even if I end up getting fired for playing hooky from work, it's totally worth it to see you in your new swimsuit."

Judy laughed and rolled her eyes. She started to punch Nick in the arm when Holly scowled and said, "No hitting, Mama."

Nick laughed. "Yeah, no hitting, you mean bunny."

Judy rolled her eyes again and smiled at Holly before she picked up the small bunny and her bucket. "You're right, bunbun. No hitting." They started to walk down the boardwalk and Judy looked over at Nick. "Did you want to go check if your dad made it in yesterday?"

Nick shook his head. "He'll call me, or he won't. I've decided… well, I'm done chasing ghosts." When they got to the ice cream shop, Judy put Holly down to race off to play in the sand. Nick nodded at the shop and asked, "Want anything, Carrots?"

"Nope." She kissed him on the cheek. "I know you're gonna get something full of sugar, so you better eat it before Holly sees you and ends up spoiling her lunch."

Nick laughed. "You're such a mom." Judy stuck her tongue out at him and ran off to join Holly.

After he grabbed a frozen treat from the shop, Nick walked back to lean on the worn wooden railing and watch Judy and Holly building a sandcastle on the beach. The gentle breeze teased across his face as Nick closed his eyes and soaked it all in: The heat of the sun. The coolness of the ice cream cone he held. The endless slow pulse of the waves. The talking and laughter as Holly and Judy played in the sand. The damp salty beach smells, and a much stronger scent he hadn't realized he'd missed so much. Nick opened his eyes and smiled, engraving the moment into his mind as he savored the first taste of vanilla ice cream he'd had in a very long time.


	3. The Donut Thief

**The Donut Thief (Mystery/Humor)**

"I wonder if the Chief will announce any promotions at roll call today?" The naked optimism on Judy's face as she asked the question made Nick smile.

They walked through the front door of ZPD headquarters and Nick replied, "Isn't it a little early for the first bunny cop to be promoted to detective? You've only been here a few years, and I don't think you get extra points for cuteness."

Nick tensed up, preparing to avoid a punch to his arm, but Judy was too deep in thought to be distracted by the teasing. "It would be early, but not unheard of." She sighed. "Though I guess Wolford is shooting for detective too, and he's got a few years of seniority."

Nick looked thoughtful as they approached Clawhauser at the reception desk. "So that's why he's been sucking up to Bogo lately." They exchanged greetings with the cheetah and Nick eyed a white bag on the edge of the desk. "Is that from Dega's?"

Clawhauser nodded. "Yep."

Nick licked his lips and Judy asked, "Dega's?"

The fox grinned at Judy. "Oh, my poor naive little bunny… Dega's Delightful Donuts is the finest donut and pastry shop in the entire city."

Nick reached up for the bag and touched it before Clawhauser yanked it away. "Sorry Nick, that's for Chief Bogo."

The fox looked annoyed. "You went all the way across town to get donuts from Dega's for the Chief and didn't bring me any?"

Clawhauser smiled. "It's not just any donut… it's one of their special crullers. I lost a bet with the Chief, so I have to-"

Judy interrupted the cheetah. "Are you guys seriously getting all worked up over some donuts?"

Nick raised an eyebrow at Judy before he looked at the bag again and wistfully asked, "Are you sure there aren't any extras in there?"

Clawhauser shook his head. "Sorry, one of the guys in my apartment building works there, and he only brought me the one. Alfonso is such a sweetheart…" As the cheetah trailed off with a dreamy faraway stare, Nick and Judy exchanged amused looks and a few seconds later Clawhauser snapped out of his reverie. "Oh… can you guys watch the front desk while I go give this to the Chief?"

Judy nodded and the cheetah bounced off in the direction of the elevators. She looked at Nick, who casually leaned against the desk. "What's so great about this… Dega… place?"

Nick seemed distracted as he spoke. "Dega's. And they make the most heavenly donuts you can imagine."

Judy looked closely at Nick's mouth. "Are… are you drooling?"

Nick laughed, then wiped his mouth with the back of his paw. "I'm not even ashamed. I've considered transferring to the fifth precinct, just so I could go there more often." He looked at Judy as she rolled her eyes and he continued with a smirk. "Don't worry, Fluff. I'm not leaving my favorite bumpkin bunny partner." Nick paused a moment, a faraway look in his eyes, "I did tell Bogo that if precinct five ever requests any temp officers, he should send me."

Several minutes later, Clawhauser came back. "Nick, the Chief says he wants to see you."

Judy gave Nick a _what did you do now?_ look, and he shrugged. "See you in the bullpen in a few, Carrots," he said before he walked towards the stairs.

A few minutes later, Judy was sitting in their usual chair in the bullpen when Chief Bogo burst through the door at the front of the room and quieted the rowdy officers. He put on his glasses and was about to speak when Nick interrupted him as he slunk in through the same door.

Bogo turned to glare at the fox. "Nice of you to join us, Officer Wilde."

"I went up to your office, since Clawhauser-"

The Chief interrupted him. "After I hand out assignments, Wilde. Find your seat."

The fox nodded silently and hopped up next to Judy.

It was a slow day and with not much going on, Nick soon found himself headed to Bogo's office for the shortest meeting he'd ever had with the water buffalo.

Judy ran into Nick in the hallway. "That was quick."

Nick shook his head. "We didn't get a chance to talk about whatever it was that he wanted, since it seems someone took the donut Clawhauser gave him." Judy gave him a puzzled look and he continued. "All he did was get angry and… " Nick trailed off when they walked to their shared office and found Wolford pulling something out of Nick's trashcan.

The wolf sniffed the white bag and looked at Nick. "Whoa, did you get something from Dega's this morning?"

Judy started to speak when all three animals heard a loud snort behind them. They turned to see Chief Bogo, who pointed at the bag accusingly. "Where did you get that, Officer Wolford?"

Wolford pointed at Nick. "I just found it in Wilde's trashcan."

Bogo's eyes narrowed. "Wilde… did you take something from my office?" He pointed at the bag that Wolford was holding.

Nick's ears flattened against his head. "No. I… I don't know how that got there!"

Wolford sniffed the bag again. "The only officers who handled this bag are Clawhauser, Chief Bogo, and Nick."

Judy interrupted Nick as he started to speak. "I saw him touch it when it was sitting on Clawhauser's desk."

Bogo crossed his arms. "Then how did the bag end up in Officer Wilde's trashcan?"

They argued back and forth for several minutes before Wolford left and Chief Bogo stormed back to his office. After they had gone, Judy gave Nick a stern look and folded her arms. "I can't believe you ate Chief Bogo's cruller."

Nick sighed. "Et tu, Carrots?"

The next day at roll call, Chief Bogo stomped into the bullpen. "Which of you officers took something off my desk this morning?" The officers exchanged puzzled looks as the water buffalo continued. "One of you mangy mammals took the cruller off my desk, and I want to know who."

Every mammal turned and looked at Nick, who gaped for a moment before he said, "What… seriously?"

Bogo looked at Nick, and his eyes narrowed. "Didn't I see you in the conference room near my office this morning?"

Fifteen minutes later, Judy stood in the hallway and watched through the conference room window. Wolford held up a white bag and sniffed it before shoving it in Nick's face. She could hear muffled yelling through the closed door as Nick flailed his arms and Wolford pointed at the bag. Chief Bogo stood by impassively while the wolf and fox continued to argue. Judy turned away when she heard the custodian walk up behind her.

"Excuse me." At the sound of her voice, the old goat stopped pushing his custodial cart and silently gazed at her with rheumy eyes. "Were you on this floor earlier?"

He nodded and spoke with a gravelly voice. "Yes."

"Did you see Officer Wilde-" Judy pointed at Nick through the window, "he's that fox right there… did you see him up here this morning?"

The goat chuckled. "Yeah, I know who Nick is. He was in the conference room earlier. He left right before I went in to empty the trash, and I didn't notice where he went."

"Huh. And you did empty it? The trash, I mean?" The goat nodded and Judy smiled as she skipped off. "Thanks, and have a nice day!"

Judy caught up with Nick later that morning in the lobby. He was talking to Clawhauser, who was looking at him suspiciously. "I'm serious big guy, I swear I didn't take the Chief's donut. I was hanging out in the conference room after you dropped it off, to keep an eye out in case someone tried to steal it. And when Bogo arrived, I came down to the bullpen."

Judy wondered aloud while she moved to stand next to Nick, "Maybe someone took it between the time Clawhauser dropped it off and Nick got to the conference room?" Nick shrugged and Judy continued, "What about the custodian, could he have taken it?"

Nick shook his head. "He doesn't seem like the kind of mammal to do that."

Judy looked thoughtful for a moment, before she asked, "Did Wolford smell your scent on the bag in the conference room?"

Nick looked irritated when he spoke. "No, he accused me of masking my scent somehow."

Judy put her hand on his shoulder. "I believe you, Nick."

"You do?" Nick and Clawhauser spoke in unison.

The cheetah looked back and forth between the two before he said, "Then… I believe you too."

Nick scowled. "Oh gee, thanks."

Judy grinned slyly. "Don't worry, I have an idea."

The cheetah bobbed up and down. "Ohhh, how can I help? Come on guys, I wanna help."

Judy nodded. "I think you can be a big help, Clawhauser. I'll text you later and work out the details."

As Judy and Nick made their way across the lobby, the rabbit spoke. "I checked the security cameras, but the recorder for the third floor was… out of commission. Since no one watches the cameras, that was a dead end." She bit her lip, deep in thought.

A small smile played across Nick's lips as he watched the gears turn in her head. They entered the garage and walked towards their cruiser before he spoke. "What are you up to, Carrots? Have you already figured out who the donut pilferer of precinct one is?"

"Not yet, but I'm close." She smirked at Nick. "I can't tell you anything else, because you're still a suspect." Nick rolled his eyes and she continued. "Besides, it's no fair if I let you use me as a crutch to prop up your inferior skills of deduction."

Nick laughed before he hip checked Judy and almost knocked her over. "Whatever, Fluff."

The next day, they walked in the front door of ZPD headquarters and Nick asked Judy, "So your plan was to wake me up ridiculously early to go to the gym… because why exactly?"

"I figured you needed to burn off the calories from all those extra donuts you've been stealing."

"Oh, such a funny bunny. But seriously-"

"Just trust me, ok? And whatever you do, don't leave the gym until I come get you or Bogo wants to see you. Got it?"

Nick saluted. "You can count on me, Detective Carrots." Judy rolled her eyes before he marched off to the locker room. Clawhauser waved at Nick and Judy, who both returned his wave as they went their separate ways.

Judy spent the next fifteen minutes in the security room, watching the cameras and noting the mammals coming and going into the male's locker room and the gym. She sighed and rolled her eyes when she noticed Nick sit down on a bench in the gym and start playing with his phone. Right on time, Judy watched Bogo arrive. After Clawhauser spotted the Chief, he hurriedly pretended to talk on the phone as he placed the white bag with the cruller onto his desk with one paw, where it was picked up by Chief Bogo before he walked towards the locker room. Judy smacked her forehead with her paw when she realized Clawhauser was holding the phone receiver upside down as he pretended to talk into the earpiece and watch the Chief stomp away. Once the water buffalo was out of sight, the cheetah hung up the phone and started to bounce up and down excitedly.

Judy watched the officers come and go on the cameras for the next half hour, taking careful notes until she saw Bogo come out of the locker room and make a beeline for Clawhauser. After the Chief walked away, Clawhauser called Judy. "He just told me the donut is missing."

Judy thanked the cheetah and hung up, a smile on her face. "Gotcha."

She arrived in the bullpen a few minutes later to find Wolford and Nick arguing in the middle of the room while Chief Bogo watched from behind the podium. Nick exclaimed, "I didn't take it!"

Wolford dangled a white paper bag in front of Nick. "Then how did this get in your locker? And it's got your scent on it." Judy hopped on a nearby table and cleared her throat, but the other officers ignored her.

Nick waved his arms. "Well duh, everything in my locker smells like me!"

Judy let out a loud shrill whistle, causing the ears of both Wolford and Nick to flatten against their heads. The other officers who had begun to wander into the room were startled by the noise, and even Bogo flinched. "I think I know where the donut went." Everyone turned to look at Judy as she continued. "But I need to ask Chief Bogo a few things first." The other officers filed into the room while she looked at the Chief and spoke. "Tell me what happened."

The water buffalo nodded and said, "I picked up the cruller from Clawhauser's desk and put it in my gym bag before I went into the locker room. After I changed, I took the gym bag with me, and then brought it back into the locker room and took my shower. I saw the cruller was still in the gym bag before I got in the shower, but afterward, it was missing."

Judy nodded. "And then?"

"I asked Clawhauser to escort Officer Wilde, who I'd seen in the gym, to the bullpen. Then I ordered several officers," he nodded his head at a group of mammals that had gathered around Wolford, "to search the locker room and gym."

"So you saw Nick in the locker room?" She looked at Bogo, and then the other officers as well. "Any of you?" They all shook their heads. She looked at the Chief. "Was there anyone in the locker room when you went back to take a shower?"

"I didn't see anyone."

Judy smiled and looked at Wolford. "Did you smell the second missing bag yesterday?" He nodded. "And you didn't smell Nick's scent on it, correct?" He nodded again.

Judy started to speak, but Wolford interrupted her. "He was spotted in the conference room earlier, and-"

Judy held up her paw, and Wolford stopped speaking. "Oh, that was certainly incriminating, as were the locations and scents on the other bags. But to find the real thief, I just looked at the rest of the evidence."

Wolford looked puzzled. "Rest of… what?"

The room was full of officers now, who started to talk amongst themselves. Chief Bogo gripped the podium tightly, and in a menacing voice said, "Everyone… shut it! Officer Hopps, please continue."

Judy nodded. "The first bag had Nick's smell on it because he'd touched it while it was on Clawhauser's desk. When the second one went missing, I talked to the custodian, who confirmed that Nick had been in the conference room, but he left before the trash was emptied. Someone had to have planted the bag in the trash after Nick left."

"Then I discovered the recorder for that floor was… conveniently not working yesterday, which made me suspicious, so I came in early this morning to watch the cameras myself. All the entrances to the male's locker room are covered by cameras. Several officers came and went. However, while you were in the shower, Nick was being a lazy fox and playing on his phone in the gym. He never left that spot from the time he went in there until Chief Bogo left to take a shower and report the donut was missing."

Wolford looked around nervously. "So… since it isn't Wilde, you think… Clawhauser is the culprit? Or maybe the custodian?"

Judy smiled. "Actually, I couldn't rule out that it might be you, which is why Nick and I came in early this morning. But if it had been you, there were a few pieces that didn't quite fit. Luckily after the third disappearance this morning it was clear who the culprit was." She paused dramatically. "I watched the cameras carefully, and like the Chief said, no mammals were in the locker room when he started his shower. And since no mammals entered or left the locker room until he was done and noticed the cruller was missing, it's obvious from that and the other clues that Chief Bogo ate all the missing donuts and tried to frame Officer Wilde."

"Carrots, are you crazy-" Nick gaped at Judy, then a sly grin stole across his face when he saw Chief Bogo's reaction. The water buffalo smiled.

Then Bogo laughed loudly, a noise not often heard around the station. After a moment he spoke, his voice filled with pride. "Excellent work, Hopps." He scowled at Wolford before he looked back at Judy and continued. "It's good to see how thoroughly you handled the investigation, instead of jumping to conclusions."

The room went crazy as several of the officers clapped and pounded the tables. Bogo called for quiet and said, "Everyone, I'd like to introduce our newest-" Bogo paused when his stomach rumbled, and an odd look crossed his face. The water buffalo briefly clutched his midsection and his eyes bulged slightly. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." He sprinted out the door at the front of the room and slammed it behind him.

All the officers looked at each other, a confused murmur filling the sudden quiet before Clawhauser burst through the door in the back of the room. "I heard someone leave… did I miss it? Did whoever stole the cruller leave in a hurry?"

Judy gave him a puzzled look. "Clawhauser… how did-"

Clawhauser bobbed up and down excitedly while he spoke. "I just _knew_ Nick had to be innocent, so I told Alfonso… you know, my friend who works down at Dega's… about the donut thief. And he had the most amazing idea! He made a special cruller filled with laxatives, so we could…" Clawhauser trailed off as he scanned the room. "Uhh, where's Chief Bogo?"

The jaws of several mammals dropped open and Judy said, "You… you gave a donut filled with laxatives to the Chief and you didn't warn him?"

Suddenly, the cheetah looked terrified. "I would have, but… well, I didn't get a chance… look, I thought when the thief took it, I could help find out who it was!"

The room fell silent, the ticking of the clock the only sound until Nick said, "Well, at least the real culprit got what he deserved, in the end."

Everyone groaned.

* * *

The next day, a tiger standing behind the front counter of Dega's Delightful Donuts handed a small white bag to Nick. The fox smiled and said, "Thanks again, Alfonso. I owe ya one, big guy." He started to walk away before he turned around and added, "Oh and uhh… please don't tell anyone who gave you the idea to catch the thief, ok?"

The tiger nodded and quirked an eyebrow. "So it worked then?"

Nick flicked his aviators open and put them on, a grin on his face. "Oh yeah, even better than I could have possibly imagined."


	4. Pronk Must Die

**Pronk Must Die** (Dark Comedy/Drama) (standalone)

Bucky knew that if he was going to murder Pronk, now was the time to do it, since the rabbit cop next door was out of town visiting Rabbitland or Bunnyhole or wherever it was she was from. He glanced at the metal baseball bat next to his nightstand before he looked across the room at his brother bundled up in a pile of blankets on his bed. He hefted the bat and crept towards Pronk.

Bucky moved slowly to avoid the squeaky floorboard in the middle of the room and stood over his brother's still form. He was thankful the oryx was completely hidden by the blankets, otherwise Bucky didn't think he could do it. The kudu scrunched up his face, his body tensing as he raised the bat, ready to strike.

But before he did, he noticed the picture on the nightstand next to Pronk's bed and paused. Bucky relaxed and lowered the bat before he picked up the photo for a closer look at their family portrait.

The young kudu pulled at his tie. He felt uncomfortable wearing nice clothes, but Bucky wanted to humor his new family. Now that his adoption was finalized, his mother and father said that they absolutely _must_ have a new family portrait made, so his parents bundled Bucky and his brother Pronk into the car and headed down to Grazers Portrait Studio.

Family, mother, father, parents, brother… these words felt strange, things that had never referred to anyone associated with him before, at least as far back as he could remember. It was nice, standing with them while they got their picture taken. Sadly, it was the first and last time Bucky felt like he really was a part of their family. While the little kudu was now a member of their oryx family herd, in the end, he always felt like an afterthought. His parents always made a big deal about Pronk's birthday, but barely seemed to remember his. They went out of their way to make every holiday special for Pronk, while Bucky just hovered along the periphery.

Things only got worse when they told Bucky he had a degenerative bone disease, and amazingly Pronk was a match for the marrow transplant they would need to save his life. Even though Bucky was the sick one, his parents told him that after Pronk donated the marrow, he had complications and that was why Pronk had to spend a few weeks recovering in the hospital while Bucky got to go home the next day. Whenever anything bad happened to Pronk, it seemed like his parents always blamed Bucky somehow. The kudu remembered after the operation was the first time he had wished Pronk would die.

Except now Bucky knew that everything he had been told by his parents was a lie. If he'd known the truth sooner, he very well might have killed Pronk long ago. Rage filled him again, as he remembered the letter his dad's lawyer had given him that morning:

 _Dearest Bucky,_

 _I'm so sorry I never had the courage to tell you face to face, but I feel now that Mother and I are gone, you have the right to know the truth. I'm your biological father, Bucky._

 _Your biological mom's name was Anne. Neither of our families could handle the idea of us being together, since we were different species. You look so much like her, Bucky._

 _I lost touch with Anne before you were born, and I was sorry to find out you had to go into foster care at such a young age after she passed away. I wanted to adopt you, but I just couldn't talk Mother into it initially._

 _However, when we found out that your brother Pronk would need a bone marrow transplant, suddenly she was more receptive to the idea of adopting you. I'm ashamed to say I knew what her real motives were, but I was simply happy that you'd be in my life again._

 _It's because of you that Pronk is alive, and I'm sorry for lying to both of you for all these years._

 _Love,_

 _Dad_

Bucky put the picture back on the nightstand and raised the bat again, his body shaking with anger. He couldn't understand how they did this to him, and then lied about it. Was this supposed to be how families behaved? And then on top of it all, his brother had treated him like crap for as long as he could remember.

Bucky swung the bat just as Pronk opened the door and entered the apartment. The oryx gave Bucky a puzzled look before he said, "Why are you whaling on my bed, bro?" Bucky dropped the bat and stripped back the covers to reveal a pile of clothes under the blankets. Pronk continued as he went to pull a soda from the mini fridge. "I hid my laundry so you wouldn't bitch about it, since I didn't feel like putting it away."

After a few moments of confusion, Bucky got his temper under control. Pronk looked at him askance as Bucky said, "Do you remember being in the hospital as a kid?"

"What? Of course. I was there saving your sorry butt, remember?"

 _He didn't know_. Bucky shook, his voice an angry snarl as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled letter. He held it out to Pronk and said, "Read this." The oryx looked at him suspiciously before he reached out to grab the letter.

Pronk had to read it three times, repeatedly looking up at Bucky with an incredulous look on his face as he tried to process what the letter said. Finally, he spoke. "I don't believe it… this can't be true." Bucky folded his arms and thought about how best to verbally lash out at Pronk, but he wasn't prepared for what his brother said next. "I… I'm so sorry."

Pronk looked at his feet as he continued. "When I was a kid, before you were adopted… I heard Mom and Dad talking. I thought they said they were adopting you because they thought… that I was going to die. I… I didn't understand." He looked at Bucky. "That's why I hated you. I thought you were replacing me because I was sick all the time." The oryx paused for several moments before he smiled at Bucky and spoke again. "They really did a number on us, didn't they?" He reached out and touched Bucky's shoulder. "Let me make it up to you."

For Bucky's next birthday, Pronk hired a bunch of mammals to follow them around all day and pretend like Bucky was famous. And after that, they went on the first of several cruises as they bummed around the world. They were eight months into their three month vacation when Pronk came down with a serious case of food poisoning.

Two months later, Bucky sat next to Pronk's bed in the hospital. "Your luck sucks, man. Only you could go to the hospital after eating a cruise ship salad and end up with a bad case of coma. What did the doc say caused it? Listeria?" Bucky shook his head. "It sounds like mouthwash."

Bucky sighed and continued. "The lawyer gave me the letter you wrote, in case… well, in case this happened. Thanks for dumping all this crap on me, bro. I've spent the last few weeks agonizing over what I should do. Why didn't you at least talk to me about this? Doesn't our fucked up family ever talk, with actual spoken words? I'm tired of all these one-sided letters."

Bucky stared at his brother's motionless face for several minutes, the soft woosh-click of the respirator the only sound in the room. Finally the kudu let out a long sigh. "Thanks, Pronk. I really mean that, and not in a sarcastic way. This past year was the best one of my life, and it's all because of you."

Bucky pressed the buzzer to summon the doctor. "Well bro, this is it. I'm here to bail you out one last time." He waited until the doctor, a koala, arrived.

Bucky steeled himself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he spoke. "Ok, I'm ready." Bucky looked up at the doctor with tear filled eyes as he picked up a pen, his body trembling as he signed the form to discontinue Pronk's life support.

When he was done, Bucky wept when the heart monitor flatlined and the doctor noted the time and solemnly announced that Pronk was dead.


	5. Spiked! A Holiday Story

An hour into the party, Finnick realized what a terrible mistake he'd made when he chose to come. What was supposed to be a cozy little get together with a few old friends to celebrate Nick's last night as a bachelor had escalated out of control when that damn bunny jumped in to help plan what she assumed was a holiday party. It seemed to Finnick that every mammal in Zootopia had been invited, and most of them were cops. The small fox blamed Nick for not putting his foot down and letting his bunny ruin everything.

As part of this bachelor party that had spontaneously turned into something else, Judy decided that eggnog should be served. Finnick hated the taste of the eggnog most prey animals drank (he wasn't sure how it could even be called that, since it didn't have any eggs in it), and he decided to spice it up a bit with a little help from the hip flask he always brought to parties filled with mammals he didn't know.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one with the same idea. Finnick had seen Nick sneak some rum into the punch bowl earlier, and whatever it was that pie baking hick fox had slipped in shortly after would probably make everyone go blind. Which at this point, Finnick decided, would be preferable to watching the catastrophe now unfolding in front of him, a mere hour and a half since he'd first regretted coming in the first place.

The holiday concoction, which ended up being more alcohol than eggnog, wrought widespread devastation, leaving its victims strewn across the floor in snoring heaps. The fat cheetah Nick worked with had fallen next to his wolf, tiger, and elephant coworkers, the last of which Finnick was pretty sure had arrived at the party already sloshed. Interspersed among the officers were the sleeping forms of a dozen of the rabbit's siblings, along with a loudly snoring Adrian, the weasel that had come to the party with Finnick and Rocco.

Judy was crashed out on the couch next to Nick, who'd simply given up, his eyes glazed over as he watched in a drunken stupor while occasionally sipping rum straight from the bottle, leaving him and Finnick the only witnesses to the disastrous confrontation between Rocco, the raccoon who'd been in on more of their cons than either fox could remember, the hick fox from whatever backwater village the bunny was from, and the water buffalo.

No, not just any water buffalo, the Chief of Police. What had Nick called him? Chief Bogo. Locked in an intense battle of 'Never have I ever' with Rocco and the hick… Finnick finally remembered his name too. Gideon.

Absent an insane amount of luck, Finnick was pretty sure they would've already been arrested and hauled away to jail. But that luck was starting to wear out. While Bogo had no idea who Rocco was at the beginning of the evening, as the drinking game wore on the Chief was starting to realize he was sitting across from a criminal, and more than just a petty thief at that.

And then there was the idiot hick fox. Gideon was still in the game because of the sad fact that he'd apparently never done a single interesting thing in his entire life. He was so pathetic Gideon actually had to have several words explained to him before he could determine whether or not he should take a drink. Except it looked like he was a lightweight drinker, and was as far gone as the other two mammals.

"Never have I ever been charged with a felony." The buffalo's words were just slightly slurred, and Finnick's hopes soared until he heard Rocco's drunken response.

"Charged? Nope, never. Not even that time we had those two underage vixens-"

Finnick cleared his throat. "Just answer yes or no, Rocco."

"Uhh, nope."

Bogo and Rocco both stared at Gideon, who said, "Hey, don't look at me. Even in my troubled youth I never got drug into that kinda mischief."

Both Gideon and Rocco turned to look at the Chief, who started to drink until he noticed his glass was empty. Not even bothering to use the ladle, he dipped his glass into the punchbowl and filled it with more of the festive concoction (which at this point was pretty much just alcohol with a vague taste of eggnog) and drank it down in one gulp.

Next Gideon spoke. "Never have I ever parked my automobile at a parkin' meter."

Bogo and Rocco groaned before they filled their glasses from the punchbowl and hurriedly downed them.

Rocco started to speak, but the Chief wavered back and forth for a moment until his eyes glazed over and he crashed to the floor in a heap. The raccoon raised his arms in triumph. "Yesssss." He shakily stood up, an evil grin on his face, and pulled a permanent marker out of his pocket before he advanced on the now snoring water buffalo.

Finnick panicked, but a quick look at Nick, who was now slumped back on the couch next to Judy, told him he'd find no help there. He turned just in time to see Gideon stick out his foot and trip Rocco. The raccoon cursed and crashed to the floor. He started to get up, but after bashing his head on the underside of the table, he fell to the floor again and didn't move.

Gideon stood up and nudged Rocco with his foot, and nodded when the raccoon let out a small groan. Gideon gave Finnick a sly look. "Shoot, you city slickers can't hold your liquor none. And I saw how nervous you was about all them cops around here tonight."

For the first time that night Finnick realized he'd definitely underestimated this hick fox.

Gideon pointed at Rocco. "Where should I drag this feller off to, 'fore everyone wakes up?"

Finnick scratched his chin. "I guess we should take 'im down to my van."

Gideon grabbed Rocco and slung him over one shoulder with ease before walking over to Adrian. "An' what about him?"

Finnick grinned. "Same."

Gideon reached down and effortlessly picked up the sleeping weasel, who grumbled and cuddled against the fox. Finnick laughed and pulled out his cellphone to take a picture, and Gideon smiled and posed. "These two weigh a whole lot less than a sack o' flour."

After Gideon had dumped the two sleeping mammals into Finnick's van, the smaller fox said, "You're alright, Gideon."

Finnick held out his curled up paw for a fist bump, and the larger fox looked at it awkwardly for a moment before he wrapped his paw around the smaller fox's paw and shook it up and down. Gideon waved at Fennick, and said over his shoulder as he walked away, "I couldn't have Nick's best man goin' to jail tonight, could I? See y'all at the weddin' tomorrow."


	6. Untouchable

Nick had already seen Judy die again and again, but it never got any easier to watch. Each and every time it happened, Nick felt like a piece of himself was being ripped away, and each and every time, he was the one who killed her by letting go. Like a reverse Grim Reaper, Judy needed Nick's touch to stay alive, and he could never hold on long enough. He was forced to let go because it was the only way forward (or was it the only way back?). Except the final death (or maybe the first death… Nick could never work it out) when his touch wasn't enough.

It all began and ended with death #1 (or #149, depending on how you looked at it) on a stormy spring night. Nick held Judy's mangled body in the street as sheets of rain washed over them. Her body shuddered out her final breath, and with crystal clarity, Nick would see the last time they'd held each other earlier that day. Then there would be a flash of light, and he was there.

The sun was still trying to break through the stormclouds that had rolled in that morning as they pulled each other close for a kiss. Not a chaste peck on his cheek, like Judy had done a few times before, but their first real kiss. They clung to each other in an embrace that was almost desperate.

The scenes after that unwound, like Nick was watching a movie of his life, until that night when the rain fell by the bucketload and she died again. He held her before the flash of light took him, and they pulled each other close again. Over and over, Nick held her broken body and the light took him back, like a never ending nightmare. Nothing he did could change the outcome until eventually Nick gave in and pulled away before their first kiss.

Then she always looked at him in shock and took a step back, and another, until she slipped on the curb and fell into the street. Nick could only watch in horror as a car ran over Judy, killing her instantly for death #2. Then there was a flash of light and he found himself two days earlier.

Nick and Judy crouched behind a car as stray bullets ricocheted off the walls of nearby buildings. She stood and started to race across the open area towards the wounded officer behind a nearby police cruiser. Nick grabbed her arm, preventing Judy from stepping into a sudden volley of automatic gunfire that peppered the spot directly in front of her. When Nick finally did stop himself from grabbing her arm, there wasn't much left for him to hold afterward before the bright light took him again after death #3.

Judy was hanging over an abyss. He held her paw and was finally able to drag her into his lap. They embraced. The scenes unwound until he couldn't stop her from being decimated by automatic gunfire. Eventually Nick would just stand silently and watch her grip loosen, and the surprise and confusion on her face before she fell to death #5 was the worst. He'd mostly stopped trying to save her in these situations because then he just had to go through the previous death (or was it the next death?) all over again. The only one he could never change was the last final death. So far it was inevitable, no matter what he did.

And so it went. Every hug, every touch, every caress: Nick remembered them all. And every time he avoided them, it led to Judy's death, one way or another.

Death #123 at the Gazelle concert was the weirdest one. When Judy moved to hip bump him as she danced enthusiastically to the music, he would dodge away. Judy would overcorrect and tumble over to fall under the trampling feet of a nearby elephant.

Death #128 occurred before he got on the train to the academy. When he avoided giving her a hug, she tried to follow him and would end up getting accidentally pushed from the train platform onto the third rail. Trying to avoid getting on the train didn't work either. If he tried to change things too much, Nick would wake up as if from a brief and restless nap, the same thing that happened if he somehow died. Just like that movie about the groundhog whose day kept repeating, Nick discovered even his own death couldn't break the cycle. He had some leeway to alter things, but not enough to stop fate. Like an ant on a Mobius strip, no matter which way Nick went he ended up at the same place eventually.

The times Nick avoided her touches in the pit at the museum were the worst, where he would inevitably accidentally smash the blue night howler sphere in his pocket and go savage. These were the only times he was directly responsible for her death, and he made sure to skip through them quickly.

The time under the bridge was almost as bad as the museum. Once Nick finally stopped himself from hugging her, Judy just assumed he'd never forgive her before she walked away and disappeared. Nick never saw her again. Eventually there was a blinding light and he found himself climbing out of the water.

Nick and Judy had just escaped the hospital. He barely made it to shore, and she grabbed his paw before she was pulled into a storm drain. Eventually, Nick would have to let the water take her for death #149. Weirdly enough, this was the happiest death, because it meant they were almost to the beginning of the end. Or was it the end of the beginning?

They rode in the battered gondola as it soared over the rainforest district through the early morning. Nick said, "If the world is only going to see a fox as shifty and untrustworthy, then there's no point in trying to be anything else."

Judy replied, "Nick, you are so much more than that."

She reached out to place her paw on his arm. Nick always wanted to move away to avoid her touch, but this was the one time he never would. Deep down, he knew that without this touch, none of the others would happen. Even with the pain and heartbreak ahead, he selfishly couldn't give up the rest. Nick was finally at the wellspring feeding the river that tore through his barren soul on its way back to his Sea of Misery. But now that he'd fought his way upstream, Nick felt the trip back was worth it.

The cycle began (or ended) again and the scenes of his life would unfold. Nick would grab her paw and pull her out of the water. He'd hold her as she wept and asked for forgiveness. He'd play his part in the ruse at the museum. Nick would hug her tightly before he went off to the academy, and he always smiled when she'd hip bump him at the Gazelle concert. All of these touches and more he would savor, treasures to be stored away for dark times ahead.

Inevitably they would stand in the morning rain again while they kissed for the first and last time, and his heart would sing with joy. This time things would be different, he just knew it. He'd shove aside the doubt until that night when he found himself standing over her broken body, sheets of rain falling around them.

He was afraid to touch her, but he could never force himself to let Judy go without holding her, because what if this was the last time? If he didn't hold her now, would she be gone forever?

Nick held her and wept. "Don't leave me again, Judy. I can't let you go." But he knew he would, just like he always did. Judy's last breath shuddered out in a final gasp. There was a flash of light, and Nick was gone.


	7. The Sweater

Judy pulled the small teal garment out of the box. "I thought you said this was a sweater?" Her sister Hazel nodded and Judy held it up and flipped the sweater around to look at both sides. "I… how do I even wear this? And why is the neck hole so huge?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "It's a backless sweater dress."

"Backless… what does…" Judy paused and trailed off, her eyes going wide. "I thought you said it was a sexy sweater, not… seriously, it looks like a half finished knitted oven mitt!"

"Trust me, he'll love this."

Judy closed her eyes and sighed. She regretted asking for Hazel's help, but after a failed dinner she'd made for Nick (how was she supposed to know he was allergic to walnuts?) and the disastrous night she begged him to let her come along while he played cards with Finnick (she didn't even know the rules for poker), Judy was running out of ideas for ways to get Nick's attention. "I'm going to look ridiculous."

Hazel shook her head and replied, "He invited you over for movies at his place tonight, right? Assuming he isn't blind, if you wear this, I guarantee he won't be able to take his eyes off of you." Judy scrunched up her face and bit her lip before Hazel repeated herself, this time with extra emphasis. "Just trust me, ok?"

* * *

Judy idly brushed imaginary lint off her oversized puffy down jacket as she waited for Nick to answer the door. She'd wanted to wear a shirt underneath the sweater, but Hazel had absolutely forbidden her from doing so. Judy was glad she'd at least added a pair of black leggings as she bounced nervously to keep warm in the brisk evening air.

Nick answered the door. "Heyyyyyy Carrots. There's, uhhh, someone here who showed up unexpectedly that I guess you should meet." Judy gave him a puzzled look before she stepped inside his apartment and Nick closed the door. "Judy, I'd like you to meet my mom, Vivian, and her friend Sally."

Sally, a young vixen about Judy's age, nodded from where she sat at the dining room table. An elderly vixen sitting next to her stood and strode towards Judy with a friendly smile on her face. "Oh, uhh, hello Ms. Wilde-" Judy awkwardly started to extend her paw before Vivian unexpectedly pulled her into a crushing hug.

Nick cringed when his mother closed her eyes and surreptitiously sniffed Judy once and said, "It's so good to finally meet you, Judy. My name is Vivian. I've heard so much about you-"

Nick interrupted his mom. "Judy, can I talk to you in the bedroom for a sec?" Vivian barely had time to let go of Judy before Nick dragged the bunny into the bedroom and quickly closed the door.

Nick stood quietly for a moment and then cleared his throat. "I may have… look, I told my mom we were dating, so she'd quit trying to set me up." Judy's jaw dropped open while Nick paced back and forth as he continued speaking angrily to himself. "Obviously she doesn't believe me, which is why Sally is here-"

Judy finally found her voice. "You... you told her we're dating?"

Nick stopped and gripped both of Judy's shoulders so he could look into her eyes. "Focus, Carrots. I need your help. I'm begging you, just play along until they leave. Have you ever seen me beg for anything before?"

Judy smirked and said, "Well, you did get down on your knees and tell Clawhauser you'd die if he didn't give you the last blueberry donut the other day."

His voice was almost a whine. "I'm serious, Fluff. Please?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Ok ok. What... what do I need to do?"

Nick grinned slyly. "You know, just hold my paw and nod."

"Seriously? You think that'll convince-"

"Yes. And it's only for a few more minutes until they're outta here."

Judy smiled. "Alright, Slick. But you owe me."

Nick returned her smile and nodded. They started to walk back out of the bedroom when Nick turned to Judy and said, "Here, let me take your jacket."

Judy stopped and folded her arms across her chest protectively. "No! I mean, I'm cold, it's fine."

"Are you sure? I can turn up the heat-"

* * *

The vixens sat next to each other at the table and calmly sipped their tea while they stared at the closed bedroom door.

Vivian asked, "What do you think they're talking about in there?"

Sally smirked. "I dunno, but that bunny has it bad for Nick. I could smell her clear across-"

"Sally! Keep your nose to yourself."

Sally laughed. "You're one to talk. I saw you give her a big sniff when you hugged her. And I figured you'd be glad, since now you're halfway to winning our little bet-"

Nick interrupted her when he burst through the bedroom door, followed closely by Judy. "Can I get you ladies anything? More tea? How about you, Carrots?"

A bead of sweat trickled down Judy's brow and she said in a quavering voice, "I… I'd like some ice water, please."

Nick looked at her quizzically. "I thought you said you were cold?"

"Oh, I'm ok now." The three foxes stared at Judy for a moment, before she hopped up on a chair across from the two vixens and slowly shrugged out of her coat, which she carefully let fall over the back of her chair. Nick walked over as if to pick up her jacket, but Judy grabbed it and draped it back over her shoulders. "No, leave it, uhh, dear… I may get chilly later."

Nick balked for a second and then grinned. "Of course, honeybun." He hovered awkwardly while the two vixens stared at him before he slowly leaned over and gave Judy a quick kiss on her ear, which caused her to flinch. As he pulled away, Nick added, "Lemme get that water for you."

He hurried to the kitchen while Sally looked at Judy and asked, "So, you're Nick's partner?

Judy stopped watching Nick's retreat into the kitchen and looked at Sally. "What? Uh, yeah, he's my partner. At the ZPD." She paused before adding lamely, "And here."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. How long have you known each other?"

Before Judy could speak again, Vivian said, "Sally, dear, quit pestering the poor girl." The older vixen took a sip of tea, and after a few lingering moments of silence Nick joined them, a glass of ice water in each paw. He handed Judy her water before he sat at the head of the table and started to take a drink when his mom smiled and said, "You two make such a cute couple. How long have you been dating, and are you planning on moving in together?"

Nick started to choke and Judy froze, an uncertain smile plastered on her face.

Sally snorted. "Oh, so it's ok if you give her the third degree?"

Vivian frowned. "I'm just naturally curious about my son's life. And I wasn't just asking her, I was asking both of them."

Nick cleared his throat and put his glass down on the table with a loud thunk. "You know what… it's getting late, Ma. Judy and I were planning on watching a movie-"

"Say no more, say no more. I know when I'm not wanted."

Judy giggled at the petulant tone of Nick's response. "Ma…"

While the vixens finished putting their coats on, Judy hurriedly put on her own jacket and jumped up to say goodbye. Sally eyed the rabbit for a moment before she asked, "I thought you were staying for a movie?"

Nick awkwardly hugged Judy to his side. "She is. Thank you both for stopping by."

Vivian started to say something, but Sally put a paw on her shoulder. "Come on Vivian, we need to say goodnight to these two lovebirds." Nick practically pushed the two vixens out the door and slammed it behind them.

* * *

Vivian made an annoyed noise and Sally chuckled.

They walked to Sally's car in silence and got in before Vivian said, "That was the most bizarre... I wonder if Nicky is gay?"

Sally snickered. "Nick isn't gay, he's just stupid."

Vivian folded her arms. "How do you know?"

"Well, when we were younger, I caught him watching some videos… look, I'm pretty sure he isn't gay." She paused and held out her paw. "Now pay up."

Vivian pulled out her pocketbook and extracted a twenty dollar bill. "You know, technically they said they were dating-" Sally made a rude noise, and Vivian sighed and reluctantly handed over the money.

Sally smiled and tucked the bill into her purse. "They aren't dating, at least not yet. It's hilarious that Judy is so obviously interested, and Nick is so painfully oblivious-"

Vivian scowled. "Enough with the gloating already. Let's go."

Sally started the car and began to back out of the parking spot when Vivian gasped. "My phone! You know what, I forgot my phone. I'll be right back."

* * *

Nick slammed the door and turned to Judy. "What is going on with you tonight, Fluff?"

Judy glared at him, her paws on her hips. "Me? At least I didn't ask you to lie to my mom-"

Nick's ears flattened against his head and he looked at the ground contritely. "Judy, I… I'm sorry I had you lie-"

Judy closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to meet your mom for the first time."

Nick glared at the door and said, "Honestly, I wish you'd never had to meet… wait… you wanted to meet my mom?" He looked over at Judy to find her staring at the ground, obviously embarrassed, with her ears folded flat against her head. Nick stepped next to her and knelt down before he said, "I still don't understand… Carrots, can you at least tell me why the hell you won't take off your jacket?"

Judy refused to look him in the eye. "I wanted to wear something tonight that I thought you'd like."

Nick looked confused. "The jacket?"

Judy huffed. "No, it's… I've got it on, under the jacket."

"You mean the sweater? It looked nice, teal is definitely your color."

She looked up into Nick's eyes and smiled tentatively. "Really?" Judy hesitated for a moment before she took her jacket off and handed it to Nick. She turned to the side. "It doesn't look… weird or anything?" Judy bit her lip and awkwardly twirled to show off her outfit.

Nick gaped at Judy and stared for a few seconds before he realized he'd dropped her jacket on the floor.

When she saw his face, Judy froze and her ears drooped. "Maybe I should go," she mumbled.

Judy started to reach for her jacket, but Nick snatched it up. "No. Wait, Carrots. It… it looks really good on you. Honest." Judy smiled and her ears blushed scarlet. "Ok Fluff, why don't you go sit on the couch while I go make some popcorn-"

Nick was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Nicky, it's your mother. I forgot my phone on the table." Judy panicked and bolted towards the bathroom.

Nick sighed loudly. "Oh for Pete's sake."

Vivian was startled when Nick abruptly stormed out the door. She craned her neck to see inside, but Nick quickly closed the door behind him and wordlessly held out her phone.

"Thank you, dear." Vivian sniffed the air and looked at Nick quizzically before she triumphantly added, "Huh, I knew it! You really do like Judy."

Nick cringed and he said in a loud whisper, "Wha… Ma, shush! She has super bunny hearing-"

"So you like her enough to date-"

"Yes, ok, I do. Happy? And if you could refrain from dropping by unannounced with more vixens, and let us spend some time together in peace, that'd be great."

"Of course." His mom smiled and kissed Nick on the cheek. "Have fun, Nicky." She started to walk away, but after two steps paused and turned to look at Nick. "Could you do me a favor? If you could tell Sally you two really are dating the next time-"

"Ma!"

"Ok, ok, I'm going."

Nick opened the door and stepped inside to find himself unexpectedly nose to nose with Judy, who had an astonishingly smug look on her face. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Carrots, tell me you didn't overhear-"

But there was no chance for Nick to finish speaking before Judy roughly pulled him close for a kiss.


	8. A Beginning of Endings

**A Beginning of Endings (** Family, Sci-fi, /r/zootopia #2 anthology entry **)**

The young rabbit nervously clutched a well-worn book to her chest, the title _Igraine the Brave Bunny_ visible in large, fancy gold script. She scanned the crowded school gym, looking for an adult mammal that wasn't already surrounded by a sea of other children waiting to speak to them. Nearly all the adults were local prey animals, mostly rabbit farmers, with a few store owners and other professionals that had been invited to Bunnyburrow Elementary for Career Day. The most notable exceptions were an elephant and a tiger, both wearing police uniforms and sitting off to one side. Judy bit her lip and looked over at the officers hesitantly, until her teacher walked up beside her.

The elderly armadillo smiled at the young rabbit encouragingly and said, "What would Igraine do?"

As the bunny approached the officers, she heard the tiger say, "If you'd quit pissing off the Chief, we wouldn't get stuck-"

The elephant cleared her throat and interrupted him. She smiled down at the rabbit and said, "Hello, little bunny. What's your name?"

The rabbit nervously stared up at the elephant for a few moments before she quietly said, "Judy."

The officer asked, "Do you like helping other mammals?" Judy nodded. "Well, that's one of the things I love about this job." The tiger rolled his eyes and went back to reading his newspaper. There was an awkward silence, before the elephant spotted the book Judy was holding. "Oh, I loved Igraine when I was a kid." Judy nervously bit her lip and the officer continued speaking. "Even elephants are afraid sometimes. Doing what's right… what needs to be done, even when you're afraid, is important."

The elephant spoke about being a police officer and Judy listened with rapt attention, until her teacher started to gather the students to leave. The elephant said, "Normally we have badges to hand out…" The officer held up a few stickers, each almost as large as Judy's head. The elephant looked puzzled for a moment, and then turned to rummage through a large duffle bag. She found a polar bear doll dressed as a police officer and removed the hat, which she handed to the small rabbit. "There, this should fit you." The elephant winked at Judy. "You'll just have to earn the badge." Judy clutched the hat to her chest and smiled. The elephant returned her smile and said, "Promise me that no matter what you decide you want to be when you grow up… promise me you'll be brave like Igraine and try your hardest, ok?"

Judy nodded. "I promise."

* * *

The small rabbit wailed, "I don't want you and Daddy to die!" Holly wept as Judy sat down next to her on the bed and hugged her tightly.

Nick stood nearby, looking uncomfortable. He started to speak, but Judy glared at him before she said, "Sweetie, we aren't going to die anytime soon."

The fox stepped next to the bed and awkwardly patted Holly on the back. "It's true, kiddo. I didn't mean… well, it won't happen for a long time."

The small rabbit wiped tears from her eyes. She looked at her dad and said, "But you'll both die someday."

Nick and Holly turned to look at Judy as she spoke. "It's true. Death is a part of life. My great aunt Gertie used to always say, 'Everything has an end, otherwise there's no room for new beginnings,' and she was right."

Judy went on to explain that as long as someone remembered you, you're never really gone. Nick smiled when Holly's eyelids drooped lower and lower while Judy droned on and on, until the little bunny was fast asleep. Nick and Judy kissed her goodnight and crept out of her room. They closed the door, and the fox braced himself for the impending conversation.

Judy pulled her ears down in frustration. "Sometimes Nick, I swear you drive me crazy-"

"That's why you married me, right?"

Judy frowned. "Just remember, she hears everything you say." Her ears flew straight up, and she pointed at them. "These things aren't just for looks, you know. Being a good role model is a full-time job." Nick fidgeted and Judy closed her eyes. A few moments later she said in a calmer voice, "At least Holly didn't ask where we go after we die. I don't think I'm ready for that conversation yet." She opened her eyes and looked at Nick. "You know, it's weird that you and I haven't really talked much about that either, even though we've known each other for so long."

Nick shrugged. "Honestly, I want to believe in reincarnation."

Judy raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, because I don't think one lifetime with you and Little Carrots will be enough."

Judy laughed nervously and walked over to hug Nick. "How can you be such a doofus all the time, and then say things like that?"

"It's a trick, to get more bunny hugs." He returned Judy's hug, and she closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest.

Her voice was muffled when she replied, "I'm still mad at you."

Nick gently stroked her ears. "I know." They held each other quietly for a few moments before Nick added, "You wanna tell me what's really bugging you?"

Judy pulled back slightly and gave Nick a sardonic smile. "They should dedicate the new library in Bunnyburrow to someone like you. At least you have a book with your name on it."

"But I'm not half as cute and fluffy as you are, Carrots." He paused. "You know, the library is just a gleam in the mayor's eye right now… I mean, they haven't even broken ground yet, so if you wanted to write a book-"

"What would I possibly write about?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Gee, I dunno. You've had such a boring life." He counted the accomplishments on the digits of his left paw. "First bunny cop, saved Zootopia, married a handsome fox in one of the first pred/prey marriages that you worked hard to legalize-"

"That _we_ worked hard to legalize. You and me together, you dumb fox. Anyway, what do I know about writing?"

Nick laughed. "Seriously? You write in your diary every day!"

"I swear, the next time you call it a diary-"

Judy raised her fist to slug him in the arm, and Nick jumped back. "Hey, role models, remember?"

* * *

Fifty-one years later, Holly unfurled a blanket on the grass and gingerly sat down. The elderly doe placed the small carrot-shaped cake next to her, and closed her eyes to bask in the morning sun. Every year for as long as she could remember, Holly celebrated their "Familiversary" (as her dad used to call it) with both her parents, and she didn't see why this year should be any different.

She smiled and cut the cake into five pieces before using a plastic fork to slide one of them onto a paper plate. Holly leaned back against her parent's shared headstone and took a bite. "I can't wait to introduce your first great grandkit to both of you. We just found out he's a boy." Tears glistened in her eyes. "And I can't wait to tell him your stories."

Holly looked up to see her son and his very pregnant wife walking towards her and returned their wave.

* * *

Sixty-two years later, a small bunny kit waited excitedly while his dad opened the time capsule in the Bunnyburrow Public Library. Inside, there was a metal badge along with two folded pieces of paper and several other items.

The buck picked up the note and unfolded it. He could barely contain his excitement as he spoke. "Stuart, guess what? It's from your great great grandma Judy." He read the note aloud:

 _Many mammals, both real and imagined, have inspired me._

 _Brave Igraine, who taught me to find courage when I needed it._

 _Dearest Nick, who tore this badge from my chest and ended up writing a book about it._

 _And beautiful Holly, who taught me almost as much about patience as Nick did._

 _Judy Hopps_

His dad pulled another piece of paper from the time capsule and looked at it. "Aww, your great grandma Holly put something in here too." He handed it to Stuart.

The small bunny looked at the crayon drawing of an elephant, two rabbits, and a fox flying in a rocket ship through space. Stuart's eagerness quickly turned to disappointment and he sighed and his ears drooped. "But only little mammals get to fly in space."

His dad nodded sympathetically and ruffled his ears. "You never know though, Squirt. If great great grandma Judy taught us anything-"

Stuart laughed. "I know, we shouldn't give up."

His dad chuckled. "That's right."

Stuart picked up the metal badge. "Why did great great grandma Judy put this in here?"

His dad lifted a stack of worn Moleskine notebooks from the time capsule. "We'll just have to read her journals and find out."

* * *

Forty-eight years later, Cadet Elin Wilde shifted slightly while she stood at attention. An older rabbit stood with his back to Elin and looked out the viewport in the wall of his office at the partially completed hull of a massive spaceship. The vixen glanced curiously at a small metal badge and datapad in a tray on the Commander's desk next to a nameplate which read **CDR Stuart Hopps, Z.S.N.** in large gold letters.

Elin had a pretty good idea why she was there, since she'd spent the better part of an hour that morning using a plasma torch to burn her name onto the inside of the aft access panel of one of the brand new landing shuttles. It wasn't as good as actually going, but at least some part of her would leave on the next ship bound for the new colony.

The commander continued to stare out the window while he spoke. "Cadet, why are you always getting into trouble?"

"Sir?"

He turned to glance at her. "You seem to have issues with other mammals, especially rabbits. That's particularly ironic, given who we both are."

"I don't understand-"

The commander shook his head. "Of course you don't." The rabbit sighed and continued. "You were at the top of your class, perfect scores in astronavigation. Hell, given how many hours you spend in the simulator, you probably know more about the capabilities of that ship out there than I do, and that's saying something. You've got so much potential…" The rabbit wistfully looked back at the partially completed ship and shook his head.

Elin was surprised the commander knew she'd been sneaking time on the simulator, but before she could ponder how he'd found out, the rabbit spoke again. "Why are you here?"

"I assumed you called me in for defacing landing craft #3-"

The commander interrupted her. "No, why are you on this station?"

Elin spoke in a crisp monotone voice. "I'm part of the construction team building the first interstellar spacecraft, designation IS-Z01, and training the extra small mammals…"

The vixen trailed off when the commander shook his head and chuckled to himself. He ignored Elin's sullen look and said, "Sounds like something right out of the recruitment manual. So that's it then? You think all of the colonies will be for extra smalls only? What about when the Z01 heads out of spacedock in a few decades? Do the stars belong to the mice too?" The room was silent for a few moments before the commander continued in a quiet voice. "I fought tooth and claw for twenty years to relax the size restrictions on space travel. Two decades ago, the only way you and I would ever see that ship out there is through a telescope." The commander picked up the tray from his desk and held it out to Elin. "I want you to read everything that's on this datapad. Report back here at 18:00 hours tomorrow, and tell me why you're really here. Dismissed."

Later that evening, Elin lay on her bunk and stared at the shiny badge in her paw. _Police Officer, Trust, Integrity, Bravery_. She was surprised by the books, and realized after reading them she might even be related to the commander by marriage, which the vixen thought was odd indeed. But what got Elin really excited were the technical reports that had also been included on the datapad. She carefully considered the implications of the newly developed cryochambers and the next generation space drive, and it hit her like a jolt of electricity: when the Z01 was finally ready for launch, mammal size wouldn't matter anymore.

A voice shouted, "Lights out," and her fellow cadets hurried to climb into their bunks before the room was plunged into darkness. As it grew quiet and the other mammals settled in, the vixen grinned to herself. Elin knew exactly what she would tell the commander tomorrow.

* * *

Ninety-four years later, Captain Elin Wilde finished engraving **Judy Hopps** and **Commander Stuart Hopps** next to her name on the inside of the aft access panel of the landing craft. Even though her recent awakening from cryosleep meant the plasma torch was a bit unsteady, Elin was able to put the final touches on the names without too much trouble. She carefully fitted the panel back in place and smiled. Elin wondered how long it would be until someone found the datapad she'd hidden in the box welded to the airframe behind the panel.

The silence of the landing bay was broken by an all-hands announcement whistle from the nearby intercom, followed by the voice of the XO. "All officers to the bridge for final approach briefing."

Elin trailed her paw across the sleek lines of the landing craft. If all went well, in just under 48 hours, she would be riding down with most of the flight crew to be the first mammal to set foot on New Zootopia.

The vixen's hand slipped into the pocket of her flight suit and she touched the small metal badge the commander had given to her so long ago. Before Elin moved to leave, she whispered, "Thank you, Commander. And thank you, Judy."

* * *

Two hundred and ten years later, a group of rowdy teenage mammals went on a field trip to the Founders Museum in Capital City, the largest population center on New Zootopia. They were excited to get a day away from school to see the newest exhibit, created from the information on a datapad that had been hidden in one of the original landing craft. They fidgeted quietly at the entrance as the gazelle docent finished explaining how the newly added exhibit was relevant to the recent news announcement from the government. "Since Homeworld hasn't responded to our last two transmissions, the newly established space program is working to repair the starship in orbit and send a few adventurous mammals back to re-establish contact."

An older fox casually leaned against a wall at the back of the room and watched the rambunctious teens. While most of them were barely listening, one rabbit excitedly raised her paw when the gazelle asked a question.

After the gazelle had finished speaking, all the mammals scattered, except the young rabbit who stood and stared in awe at the new exhibit. The fox noticed she was holding a brand new book, _Judy Hopps, First Rabbit Officer_. The image on the cover was the same image used in the exhibit, an old photo of Judy receiving her badge. After a few minutes, the fox stepped up next to the rabbit and said, "Not much for crowds? Me either." She glanced at him and nodded. He pointed at the hologram of the old city of Zootopia in the neighboring exhibit. "Would you want to go back and visit?"

The rabbit bit her lip and shrugged. "I've thought about trying to be an astronaut, but I dunno if I could do it."

The fox pointed at the book she was holding and asked, "What would Judy do?"

The rabbit nervously looked up at the fox and gave him a quizzical look. "Who are you?"

He grinned. "Nobody important, though my sixth great grandmother was captain of the ship that brought us here." He reached into his pocket to pull out a small metal object and hold it up. "I've got something you might recognize." The rabbit gasped; despite being very worn, there was no mistaking the faint outlines of Judy's badge. The fox offered it to the rabbit. "I was going to donate this to the museum, but it really should go back to Homeworld. Think you can take care of that for me?"

The rabbit smiled and nodded vigorously before she took the badge and clutched it to her chest. "I promise."


	9. Bonus Addendum

A big thanks to my beta readers, Pixiecc and UmbraTsuki. Please go read their awesome fanfics!

I'm gonna mark this fanfic as complete, though it's possible I'll add a few more one-shot stories later.


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